


small talk

by noahczerns



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: AU, M/M, ronan is very embarrassing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-28 19:17:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6341815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noahczerns/pseuds/noahczerns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You've been awkwardly inching your way towards the sexuality section at the bookstore I work at, do you need help or something?" AU meeting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	small talk

**Author's Note:**

> my girlfriend [pynch](http://archiveofourown.org/users/pynch) requested this and who i am to refuse her huh

Ronan wasn’t usually a fan of books. Matthew had asked him if they could take a look in their local bookstore whilst in town, so of course, Ronan obliged. He accepted rather reluctantly, but he was never able to refuse the pleas in Matthew’s voice. Matthew bounced along the pavement, grabbing Ronan’s arm and dragging him forward. 

“Come on! Hurry up!” 

Ronan rolled his eyes and panted, “They aren’t going to run out of books, you know.” 

Matthew returned the rolled eyes with a smile wide on his face. “You don’t _know_ / that.” He tugged Ronan’s sleeve again for good measure. 

After bursting through the store doors, Matthew had headed straight for the sci-fi and fantasy section without so much as a goodbye in his excitement, leaving Ronan to wander around the store by himself. He scanned the store around aimlessly; he had no idea what he was looking for. He’d read three, maybe four books in his life. The majority of the time, his father had read them to him or he had been forced to read them by his school. He didn’t bother to do his school reading anymore. 

The bookstore itself wasn’t large, there was enough room to contain a few shelves for a variety of genres. Nothing caught Ronan’s eye, except the cute boy who was placing new books on the shelves, his biceps rolling beneath his slightly too tight shirt each time he reached up. Ronan averted his eyes. He focused his sight on Matthew again, who had picked up a rather thick book and was flipping to the first page. His messy curls had fallen in front of his face, obscuring his view, yet he made no effort to move them.  A few feet away from Matthew was a shelf significantly smaller than the rest of them. Ronan squinted at the title written above the top row of books: _Sexuality_. Ronan’s cheeks burned. 

Ronan looked over his shoulder. He and Matthew were the only ones in the shop on this particular quiet Sunday, so Ronan decided to take the risk. He rubbed the back of his neck before hesitantly taking a few steps forward, considering the placement of his feet carefully. Surprising himself, he successfully reached the section without tripping over his own feet. Now that he was face to face with the section, he felt the bolded black title of   _Sexuality_  boring into him. He rocked on his heels, attempting to look anywhere apart from the books in front of him. The few books about gardening were suddenly very intriguing to Ronan, as he couldn’t take his eyes off them. 

“Excuse me? Do you need any help?” 

Ronan startled and blinked himself back into reality. Stood in front of him, was the boy he had seen stacking books earlier. His biceps were there too, and at a closer look, an army of freckles that were prevalent up both of his arms and scattered across his face. Ronan swallowed. 

The boy coughed into his hand when Ronan didn’t reply. “Do you need any help, sir?” 

Ronan’s cheeks burnt again at _sir_. He mentally slapped himself. Get a grip.  “I’m - I’m good, thanks.” 

“Are you sure? I can give you some recommendations if you want.” The boy replied, Ronan noticed that the name tag on his chest read _Adam_. Adam was gesturing to the section behind Ronan. Ronan’s eyes widened, but he stepped aside to let Adam by. 

Adam ran a slender hand through his sandy brown hair that reflected gold specks in the light of the bulb above them. “Let’s see…” he picked up a book from the middle shelf. “This one’s good for younger kids, but you’ll want something more advanced so…” He trailed off, and put a finger to his lip. Ronan watched him with curiosity, and shoved his mind away from thoughts of putting the boy’s fingers to his own lip. _You don’t even know him_ , he told himself. 

Adam trailed a finger along another row of books. “Aha!” He pulled out a book and held it out to Ronan. “I’ve read that one myself, it’s very good.” 

The book was titled _The Teenager’s Guide to Sexuality_. Ronan wasn’t sure his face could go a deeper shade of red. He stuttered out a ‘thanks’ and pretended to flick through, but he couldn’t focus on a single word with Adam still looking at him. Ronan looked up and raised an eyebrow at him. Adam gave him an encouraging smile. 

“There are others if that one isn’t really for you,” Adam assured, rifling through the books again. He took out another. “I haven’t read this one, but my friend, Blue, she’s read it and she said it’s worth a read.”

Ronan nodded. He hadn’t come in here to buy a pile of books, but if it would have made this guy happy, he was sure he would have. “I think I’ll take this one.” He said, pointing to the one in his hands. 

“That’s great, do you want to pay now? I can work the till.” Adam replied, straightening up. 

Ronan tore his gaze from Adam’s in the vague direction of Matthew, and spotted him on the other side of the store to where he had been minutes ago. “Matthew! I’m paying now, come here.” 

Adam looked a little dismayed as Matthew waltzed over, his gaze dropping to the floor. 

“What book did you find?” Ronan asked, ruffling his hair.

Matthew squirmed beneath him. “I wish you wouldn’t do that!” 

“You’re my brother, I have to.” Ronan said, his hand still in his hair. Adam’s expression loosened. 

Matthew narrowed his eyes, and then shoved his chosen book in Ronan’s face. Ronan shoved it back a bit, and read the title. 

“A classic? God, you’re such a nerd.” 

“Shut up. Let’s pay.” 

Matthew followed Adam’s path up to the till, and placed his book on the counter. Ronan placed his on top. Whilst Adam scanned the two items, he quizzed Matthew on other books he’d read. Matthew’s answer was cut short as Ronan paid rather hurriedly, grabbed their books, and pushed him towards the door. Just as he was about to leave, he felt a hand around his wrist. 

“Hey, if you want any more recommendations or advice or… anything, you can call me.” Adam said, quickly producing a pen and paper from his pocket, scribbling on, presumably, his number and then placed it it on top of the book in Ronan’s hands. A blush rose in Adam’s cheeks as he walked away to return to his work. 

When Ronan caught up to Matthew, Matthew’s eyebrows were raised. “Did he just give you his number?”

“None of your fucking business.” He faltered at Matthew’s knowing face. “Maybe.”

“I like him. He’s smart. Maybe he can teach you something.” Matthew teased.  Ronan pushed him so hard he almost toppled over, but he only laughed. 

Ronan thought it was worth coming to the bookstore after all. 


End file.
